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NVYS Alumni

Where are they now? Check here for news about former members of the NVYS! If you are a former member of the NVYS and would like to let us know what you're doing now, contact us now!

Molly Rubin

Years in NVYS: 2005-2009

Principal Bassoonist for the Napa Valley Youth Symphony for several years, Molly Rubin won the 2009 Concerto Competition and soloed with the Pacific Chamber Symphony. She is currently a student at Indiana University majoring in music with an anticipated graduation date of 2013. She says, "Everything here in Indiana is really awesome, I absolutely love it. It's so great being able to play music all day, every day. My three classes today were Theory, Piano, and Reed Making... so much better than all the History and English I had to do in high school. We had a bassoon masterclass the other day (28 bassoons!!!!) and it was so amazing to hear all of them play. There are some really talented people here. I had a good audition and made it into the top Wind Ensemble, I am one of the few freshman in there. I also got started up with a woodwind quintet which has been my favorite part."

"I wouldn't be here if it hadn't been for my experiences in NVYS. Being in the Youth Symphony was my greatest source of inspiration and confidence throughout high school. When I first joined NVYS playing bassoon was just something I did, and soon after it became my life."

Ashley Czimbach

Ashley Czimbach, the Principal Horn player of the Napa Valley Youth Symphony for the past six years, has been accepted into the 91st Division Army Band, the Band of the Wild West, and will report to basic training this coming year! The 91st Division Army Band has had a long and impressive history, from playing near the front lines in Italy during WWII to performing 139 musical missions for over 500,000 people in 2003 during Operation Enduring Freedom. We are all immensely proud of the Youth Symphony’s first professional musician!

“The Youth Symphony provided me with the stability I needed in high school and during a very difficult period of my life. I will forever be grateful to the Napa Valley Youth Symphony, Ming, and especially my coach/teacher Susan Vollmer!"

Timothy Herber

Timothy Herber was a violinist in the Youth Symphony for 7 years, starting when it was founded in 2002 under the leadership of Grant Showley. He is now attending Pacific Union College in Angwin, California. A current Biology Major, Timothy is taking pre-med classes and is a part of the Honors Program.

"I really enjoyed the time I spent in the Napa Valley Youth Symphony. While participating in the Youth Symphony I was able to take advantages of many wonderful learning opportunities that I would have missed out on otherwise. From getting paid to play my instrument with others for private and public events all over the valley, to performing as part of the orchestra for a local production of a musical, to a trip to Carnegie Hall, I had an amazing experience in the NVYS. But the best part of being in the Youth Symphony was the relationships I formed with the other musicians who participated. Every rehearsal I would learn from inspiring mentors who were eager to share their skills while at the same time forming great, lasting friendships with like-minded students from the surrounding area. Even though I do not plan to become a professional musician, the lessons I learned, the experiences I had, and friendships I formed in the Youth Symphony will always be remembered."

Maiko Takeda

Maiko Takeda served as Co-concertmaster for several years and soloed with the orchestra in 2005 playing Beethoven's Romance in F Major. She is currently a student at the University of California - Berkeley and is a member of the Cal Symphony orchestra, Cal Chamber Orchestra, and is also a member of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra. She's enjoying taking classes in musicianship, harmony, music in the western world, and Japanese. She currently studies with two members of the San Francisco Symphony and says, "I cannot imagine the life without violin since I started playing when I was 2! I currently practice about 5 hours a day."

"The Napa Valley Youth Symphony helped me learn how to be confident when I perform. I met great coaches who I still keep in touch with, and make me feel that I can persue my dream as a professional musician.